DriveTime FAQ’s & Helpful Tips

At DriveTime, we understand that buying a vehicle can be a little intimidating, especially if you’ve never purchased or leased a vehicle before. It’s exciting and can be a little scary.

We want our customers to know exactly what to expect when they are purchasing or leasing a car from us, so we’ve created this official DriveTime FAQ to help. Feel free to search our FAQ and our blog for answers to your questions and if you don’t find them here, please contact us, we’d be happy to help.

Buy Here Pay Here used car dealerships, otherwise known as “tote the note,” are simply used car dealers that are also the bank; meaning they directly offer the financing for the vehicles on their car lot. There are a lot of misconceptions around Buy Here Pay Here car dealerships and small, independent dealerships can work differently from each other. Always ensure that the Buy Here Pay Here dealer of your choice thoroughly inspects all of its vehicles before sale, reports to major credit bureaus and follows all regulatory standards such as state usury laws, the Truth in Lending Act, privacy regulations and so on.

While we specialize in helping people with bad or no credit, you do not need to have credit issues to be a DriveTime customer! In fact, we offer a program specifically for people with good credit with APRs as low as 5.9% on approved credit. Ask your Sales Advisor for details and terms or call our approvals line at 877-881-1123.

DriveTime is focused on ensuring our payments work with our customers’ budget. The best way to lower the payments is by putting a larger down payment or taking advantage of our rate buy down program. We can also look at a less expensive car to lower your payments. You will know your exact monthly payment once you are approved and decided what vehicle you want to drive home!

Yes, we are! DriveTime is unique in the way that we are the auto dealership and the bank, which allows us to be more flexible with down payments and monthly payments depending on your unique situation.

Unlike the majority of ‘buy-here pay-here’ dealerships, we don’t have the same down payments for everyone. We customize our down payments per vehicle and per customer. Typically, higher priced vehicles require a higher down payment, which is pretty standard. We will let you know what your minimum down payment is on each vehicle and you can decide what you want to put down. Ready to get started?

We do offer a layaway program! The DriveTime layaway program allows you to hold the car of your choice for up to 45 days, but you cannot drive the vehicle off the lot until the down payment is fully paid. You can start your approval now to get started, then head into your local dealership to choose your car!

Yes, we will run a credit check. But don’t worry! Your credit report and score isn’t the only factor we take into consideration when building your customized approval. We take many other factors into consideration as well so we can offer you the best possible terms we can. Want to get approved today?

DriveTime offers interest rates as low as 5.9%, on approved credit. Maximum interest rates are typically determined by each state’s usury limit laws (maximum allowable interest rate by law). One thing that is different with DriveTime is that you work directly with the Sales Advisor to build your loan. This way, you will be able to find the right vehicle, down payment and term to get the rate you are looking for. To find your approval amount, start your approval online or browse our expansive inventory.

Absolutely! Typically, your lender will set guidelines for what vehicle you are financing. Let your Sales Advisor know what your bank’s criteria is, then you can go begin to browse our inventory. If you don’t have a preferred lender, you can start your approval online with DriveTime.

Yes! DriveTime now offers customized online approvals. It’s easy and only takes about two minutes. You’ll receive an instant confirmation of the amount you are approved for, so why not get approved now?

Absolutely, You can still purchase a vehicle from us (except in Tennessee); it just adds one additional step in the process. The additional step is getting your trustee to approve the purchase if you haven’t completed the “meeting of the creditors” yet. If you have a prior bankruptcy that has been finalized, simply get approved online.

Fees such as documentation, tax and titling, for example, vary by dealership and by state, so please check with your Sales Advisor to see a breakdown of all charges on your vehicle. You will be able to review all fees prior to purchasing or leasing your vehicle.

The DriveTime car buying experience is unique because we put the process in your hands. We allow you to dictate how the sales process will unfold. We first ask if you would prefer to get approved for a loan first or view our inventory to find a vehicle perfectly matched for you. From there, the entire process is entirely in your control. The entire car buying experience typically only takes only 2-3 hours. Our company record? 44 minutes.

DriveTime prides itself on being open and straight forward with our customers. By offering a no-haggle price on our vehicles, we ensure that all our customers pay the same and receive the same, great value. You can browse our inventory and vehicle prices on DriveTime.com.

You do not need an appointment to visit a DriveTime dealership. However, many of our customers find it useful to get approved online first to expedite the buying experience, then you’ll be prompted to setup an appointment.

DriveTime provides complimentary AutoCheck Vehicle History Reports for every vehicle on our website. Simply visit the vehicle detail page for the car you want to purchase and select, “See History Report” and the report will open in a new window. You can also ask your Sales Advisor for a copy of the report for any vehicle at the dealership.

Our online inventory is updated nightly and may include vehicles that are currently being transported to the dealership or that has sold within the day. If you have a question about the availability of a specific vehicle, please contact the dealership where the car is listed.

You can view all of DriveTime’s vehicle inventory online or by visiting your local dealership. We update our inventory daily and typically stock over 9,000 cars nationwide. We are able to transfer vehicles between dealerships within the same state. Please contact your local dealership for more information on vehicle availability and transfers details.

Certainly. All vehicles go through four different multi-point inspections through one of our 24 regional inspection centers; including a pre-purchase inspection, mechanical inspection, quality control inspection and delivery inspection. Our thorough inspection process ensures that factory options are in working order, the engine performs up to mechanical specifications and all safety systems are in good condition. You can watch how DriveTime purchases and inspects our cars in this video.

DriveTime has several different sources for vehicles; including auto auctions, off-lease vehicles and customer trade-ins. We send all of the vehicles we purchase through one of inspection centers to receive a multi-point inspection before they are shipped off to your local dealership.

During our multi-point inspection processes, if we identify an issue that needs to be repaired before sale, we do so. This includes repairs to the powertrain, climate control system, drivetrain, suspension and any significant cosmetic issues. Ask your Sales Advisor for additional information about our pre-sale, multi-point inspection.

If a vehicle has been in an accident, it should be notated on the provided AutoCheck History Report. The majority of our vehicles have a clean, accident free history, however some have had a claim. DriveTime ensures that all vehicles still meet the NHTSA’s Highway Safety Standards. Note that not all accidents or issues are reported by AutoCheck.

Rebuilt engines are not common among the vehicles DriveTime purchases from auto auctions, individuals or other dealers. Every vehicle we sell goes through the same multi-point inspection where we repair or replace any part that isn’t up to standard to ensure the vehicle is road worthy and ready for you. Since the majority of our vehicles are model year 2005 and newer, it is rare that a car would need an engine rebuilt so early in its life.

Every 28.8 seconds* a vehicle is stolen, which is why we offer SkyLINK on all of our vehicles. SkyLINK protects and tracks your vehicle 24/7, all from your own computer or mobile device. This allows you to locate your vehicle if it’s stolen in a simple, easy to use app. DriveTime does not track your vehicle. You can find out more about SkyLINK from your Sales Advisor.

The majority of our dealerships do not have a service center or access to lifts. All of our vehicles go through our multi-point inspection at an off-site facility to ensure factory options are in working order, the engine performs up to its mechanical specifications and all safety systems meet NHTSA specifications.

Due to insurance regulations, DriveTime can’t allow a shopper to temporarily take ownership of the vehicle so they can take it to their mechanic, for an extended test drive, etc. Feel free to bring your mechanic along to inspect the vehicle at our dealership and to review the AutoCheck History report.

We include a 30-day warranty on all of our vehicles at no extra cost to you. If you have a covered issue within the first 30 days of owning your vehicle, just give us a call and we’ll take care of it. We also offer DriveCare – an optional vehicle protection plan with extended powertrain coverage that can keep your vehicle covered for up to 5 years or 50,000 miles*.

(*3 years/36,000 miles offered in Florida, Oklahoma and New Mexico as of 3/10/14)

DriveTime does offer GAP coverage on all of our vehicles. With GAP, if you vehicle is deemed a “total loss” due to an accident, GAP will wipe away the amount on your loan that you still owe. We will even help you get another vehicle for little to no down payment. Ask your Sales Advisor for more information about GAP.

Since DriveTime is not an OEM dealer, we can’t partake in any “certified pre-owned” programs. We utilize our own multi-point inspection process to ensure every vehicle meets or exceeds all mechanical and safety manufacturer specifications.

If you’re the kind of person who’s determined to excel in new and unexpected ways, you’re going to love building a career with DriveTime. Here, you’ll never stop learning, because mentoring, training and development is the name of our game. You can view and apply to open positions on our Careers page or research what it is like working for DriveTime on Glassdoor.

DriveTime is the nation’s largest used car dealership network that specializes in helping people with bad credit. However, being #1 doesn’t make us special. Offering a 5-day return guarantee, including a 30-day warranty, providing free AutoCheck history reports and putting all of our vehicles through multi-point inspections are just a few reasons why we are America’s most trusted used car dealer.

DriveTime’s home office is located in the heart (and heat) of Phoenix, Arizona. We also have several operations centers located throughout the country that houses our internet sales, customer relations, loan servicing, human resources, accounts payable and dealership support teams.

DriveTime offers a flexible leasing program on specialty vehicles. Our Cancel Anytime Lease allows you to start driving today with an average down payment of $895* and you can return the car back to us at any time, for any reason and cancel your lease without financial penalties. Visit www.drivetimelease.com for more information.

The name doesn’t lie – you can cancel your lease and return your vehicle at any time! Bring the vehicle back to us and we will cancel the lease without any penalties. You can always lease again later, upgrade or exchange your vehicle and earn lease rewards and use the credits you’ve earned to put toward your next vehicle.

It sure does. We include a “life of lease” limited warranty on every lease vehicle that covers major mechanical components, includes complimentary oil changes and brake replacements. When was the last time you saw a lease program offer that?

While leasing your vehicle you can drive up to 18,000 miles per year and elect to drive up to 24,000 miles! We only charge $0.20 per mile over 18,000 miles (prorated based on lease termination date), unless you decide on the 24,000 mile package.

Most Cancel Anytime Lease customers have an average down payment of $895*. Your down payment could be less or more. Just a simple way to drive away in a car today with the peace of mind knowing you can return it back to us at any time.

* LEASE OFFER INFORMATION – $895 due at signing, 65 biweekly payments of $200 including applicable local taxes (vary by location), plus an additional $50 per biweekly payment for the first 4 payments. 30 month term (except as noted below), 18,000 miles/year (1,500 miles per month). Customer may elect 24,000 miles/year (2,000 miles/month) for an additional fee. Excludes other fees where applicable. No security deposit required. Terms only apply to “starter” class vehicles. Pricing and vehicle availability subject to prior lease or change without notice. No early termination penalties. Lessee is responsible for $0.20/mile over 1,500 miles per month (2,000 if elected by customer; prorated based on lease termination date) and damage in excess of normal wear and tear. Liability only insurance required. Subject to income and credit qualification. See your nearest DriveTime dealership for details. Available as “Renewable Lease” program in Ohio. Illinois Renewable Lease is only renewable for 30 day periods up to one year.

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DriveTime Automotive Group

DriveTime is the nation's largest used car dealership network helping people with credit issues find and finance (or lease!) a great used car at one of our 130 dealerships.

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DriveTime Automotive Group

DriveTime is the nation's largest used car dealership network helping people with credit issues find and finance a great used car. For dealership locations, approvals, and vehicle inventory, please visit drivetime.com